


circulation

by ignitesthestars



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Romance, a hint of 'what if i have to reaper my new boyfriend and co'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 14:39:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11534319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignitesthestars/pseuds/ignitesthestars
Summary: It’s difficult to tell behind the blank white of her mask, but Kravitz thinks that his goddess might be amused.He’s been in service to her for centuries, and doesn’t think he’s heard her so much as chuckle in all that time. She’s not laughing now, but there’s just something about the tilt of her head as she surveys him, the richness of her voice when she speaks. He’d probably blush, if he had a circulatory system.“It has been some time since a mortal has swayed you from fulfilling a bounty, Kravitz.”





	circulation

It’s difficult to tell behind the blank white of her mask, but Kravitz thinks that his goddess might be amused.

He’s been in service to her for centuries, and doesn’t think he’s heard her so much as chuckle in all that time. She’s not laughing now, but there’s just something about the tilt of her head as she surveys him, the richness of her voice when she speaks. He’d probably blush, if he had a circulatory system.

“It has been some time since a mortal has swayed you from fulfilling a bounty, Kravitz.”

He’s not infallible. Even gods can be swayed, and he is far from divine. It has been some time though, because the last time hadn't worked out that well. Trust had been a mistake, then.

It feels like it should probably be a mistake now, except here he is. Relaying his decision to grant clemency to Taako Tacco and his friends, and trying real hard to avoid any bowl metaphors.

“Well,” he hedges. “Submitting an entire town to the - and I’m sure we can agree on this - _difficulties_ of the astral plane when they themselves had not engaged in necromancy, or had any intentions of doing so, seemed - excessive to requirements. Plus, we could probably use the PR.”

Not that he’d ever seen the Raven Queen being particularly concerned about what the world at large thought about her. She had a duty, and she saw that it was done.

“And the others,” she says, because there is no escaping her judgement. It’s a part of what makes working for her so satisfying, in the end. Everyone ultimately meets the same fate. “Those who were not trapped in Refuge?”

Kravitz squirms. He doesn’t _feel_ as though he has ulterior motives. It’s more like he’s waiting at this strange intersection of business and (pleasure) personal, when they have seemed to be one and the same for so long. 

Finally, he sighs. “All right, in the interests of full disclosure - there may be some _personal_ interest on my part in the elf known as Taako. But there’s more to the situation than that. Really. None of them seem to recall having died before, much less attempting to circumvent the laws of life and death to avoid a trip to the astral plane. And I haven’t been able to find any evidence to the contrary, other than the bounty on their heads. Truthfully, I would be...uncomfortable bringing them in without further information.”

 _Edge cases_ , he thinks, and remembers delicate hands stubbornly curving a vase into a bowl. He closes his eyes. Somehow, his life seems a lot more complicated these days. 

“Do not fear, Kravitz.” A pale hand reaches out, cups his jawbone. It’s rare that he bothers with flesh, in her presence. “I do not question your judgement. I simply wished to know if you yourself were aware of the reasons behind your decisions.”

“All too aware,” he grumbles. _Love this_ , Taako had smirked. Kravitz hadn’t even had a stomach to lurch at the time, and yet here he is, still with the remnants of butterflies. “If I may take my leave then, my lady?”

“Go.” There’s no indication of a change in mood from her. She is as ever-present as her domain. “But consider that it is often the exceptions which have given rise to the need for our rules. The reason the masses choose not to break them is because we keep those exceptions in line.”

And yet, the air seems colder. Whatever comfort he might have taken from her touch is gone, and Kravitz makes his exit a little more hastily than is his usual wont. A warning from the goddess of Death, not a threat, but most mortals find little difference between the two.

Without really thinking about it, he raises his scythe, carving a door between the planes. It’s the work of a moment to step through, quick enough that he’s only halfway through pulling on his skin when he steps out into the material plane.

Specifically, into Taako’s room in the material plane. There’s a definite yelp, although the elf does his best to work it into a whistle once he comes to the conclusion that he’s not being attacked. Kravitz doesn’t bother to hide a grin.

“Okay,” Taako says, like Kravitz has made some kind of offer and he’s thinking it over. “Okay, into it. Your whole uh, _situation_. But seriously, can we put a bell on you or something? Some of us are facing near-death experiences on a pretty regular basis. A little ‘hey this hole in reality isn’t going to try fuck you up’ warning would be mucho appreciated.”

“Everything about me is a near-death experience,” Kravitz points out dryly, pulling on the rest of his skin. Taako’s made no bones (ugh) about his appreciation for his skeletal form, but Kravitz doesn’t miss the appreciative way his eyes scrape over this one. “I can make a few spooky noises before stepping through, if you like.”

The elf looks like he’s about to reply, when he catches the way Kravitz is returning his appreciative look. He tilts his head instead, toying with the ends of sleep-rumpled hair. From memory, Kravitz is pretty sure that elves only need to meditate to rest, but Taako definitely seems like the sort to sleep anyway. It’s a good look on him, all half-lidded eyes and soft features, wrapped in a pair of indecently short pyjama shorts and an old shirt big enough to slip off one shoulder.

Kravitz doesn’t need to breathe, but the act somehow seems difficult as Taako steps into his personal space. He lays a hand on his arm, abruptly serious. And there’s something arresting about that, the way he makes sure to meet his eyes, the beauty of his features carved into solemn relief. 

“Hey,” Taako says. “I think that I might have given you a bit of the wrong impression, and I want to apologise for that. I know I can come off as like, a pretty _unserious_ kind of dude, but you and me? Totes serious.” He takes a breath. “So I want to let you know that I’m definitely not against you fucking me up in all those good ways in the future. I’m just a not third base before the third date kind of guy, capiche?”

Kravitz chokes, and the stone of Taako’s expression cracks and gives away to peals of laughter. The elf swoops up and drops a kiss on Kravitz’s cheek before swanning towards the door.

“Oh and uh, whatever floats your boat on the spooky noise front, my man, just don’t give me heart failure next time.”

“You’d deserve it,” Kravitz grumbles, stepping after him without thought. It just seems natural, reading the silent invitation in the way Taako pauses in the door frame, stands with one hand on a cocked him and waiting. “My life has become immeasurably more complicated since you stepped into it, I hope you know.”

_It is often the exceptions which have given rise to the need for our rules._

“Homie, I will make it up to you. Come on, it’s midnight snack time and Taako’s making pancakes.”

_We keep those exceptions in line._

For the first time in his long years of service, Kravitz finds himself hoping that the Raven Queen is wrong.


End file.
